JPH06114669A - Pallet supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a pallet supply device which accommodates a plurality of pallets with a high density and which can hand over the pallets to an applicable processing machine using a simple structure. CONSTITUTION:A plurality of pallet accommodating areas 14 provided in high density in a matrix arrangement on a pallet placing table 12 are formed in an orthogonal two-axis coordinates plane. A moving means 24 is provided which runs straight in the two axis directions parallel with the coordinates plane, moves to the desired coordinate position, and can rise and fall in the direction of an axis perpendicular to the orthogonal two axes, and each pallet 30 is grasped by engaging a pallet gripping arm 26 in a holder jig mounted on the pallet 30 with the straight motion of the gripping arm 26 which moves in a single piece with the moving means 24. Transport is made between any pallet accommodation area 14 and the pallet replacing position PC, and the pallet 30 is transferred by a pallet replacing means 60 between the pallet replacing position PC and a processing machine 50.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention mounts a work, a cutting tool or a machining electrode on a pallet table having a plurality of pallet storage areas and various machining machines such as a machining center, a machine tool or an electric discharge machine. Pallet feeder that automatically exchanges pallets for the processing machine by supplying the pallets to the processing machine and storing the pallets returned from the processing machine in the pallet storage area of the pallet table, especially in one plane. It is possible to store pallets at high density in a plurality of pallet storage areas provided in the layout, and move to any position in the orthogonal biaxial coordinate plane set parallel to above or below the plane of the pallet storage area. Possible, and uses the linear movement function of the pallet gripping arm that can move up and down relative to the pallet storage area from the orthogonal biaxial coordinate plane. Pallet gripping Te, supply of pallets between processing machines and pallet table relates pallet feeder capable refunded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a numerically controlled machine tool equipped with an automatic tool changer has a structure in which a large number of tools housed in a tool magazine are automatically replaced with a tool spindle of a machine tool. For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 3-
No. 94337 is to hold a plurality of tools in a high density in a tool storage hole arranged in a matrix and hold the tools with a tool spindle of a numerically controlled (NC) machine tool by a tool gripping mechanism, and transfer them to a transfer mechanism. Discloses an automatic tool changer for performing automatic tool change.

Further, a plurality of pallets mounted on a pallet table having a transfer mechanism that moves along an elliptical orbit or a circular orbit is circularly moved by the transfer mechanism via a pallet exchange position, and the pallet exchange is performed. Conventionally, a machine tool with a pallet supply device has been proposed and provided so that a pallet having a work mounted between a position and a work table of a machine tool is transferred and received by a pallet changing means. ing. Further, recently, there has been provided a device in which an articulated robot device is applied to the pallet changing means.

[0004]

However, in the above-described automatic tool changer according to the applicant of the present application, the utility is improved in that the tool storage by the tool magazine is increased in density, but the tool magazine and the machine tool are improved. There is still room for improvement in terms of improving the operational reliability by simplifying the structure and operation of the automatic tool changing mechanism with the tool spindle.

Further, in the configuration of the latter pallet exchanging device described above, in order to move and position one pallet to the pallet exchanging position, all of the work mounting pallets held on the pallet table are moved by the transfer mechanism. Since the method of sequentially approaching the target pallets to the pallet exchange position is adopted, if the number of pallets to be held is increased, the scale of the pallet stand becomes larger, and it is inevitably large to transfer all the pallets. There are problems such as having a transfer drive means. Further, the use of the articulated robot has a drawback that the cost of the robot itself becomes a problem.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the main object of the present invention is to replace workpieces, cutting tools, machining electrodes, etc. with a wide range of machining machines including not only machine tools but also electric discharge machines. Is mounted on a pallet and can be supplied and exchanged integrally with the pallet, and is equipped with a pallet table having a plurality of pallet storage areas arranged in high density in a matrix arrangement and a pallet exchange position, and is composed of a linear traveling robot. Between the pallet gripping and releasing operation, the pallet storage area and the pallet exchange position by utilizing the linear movement of the pallet gripping means attached to the means in the two-axis directions orthogonal to each other in the three-dimensional space and the other one-axis direction perpendicular thereto It is an object of the present invention to provide a pallet feeding device having a simplified structure so that the pallet can be transferred.

Another object of the present invention is to engage and disengage a gripping jig projecting from each pallet with a pallet gripping arm attached as an end effector to the tip of a ready-made linear traveling robot. An object of the present invention is to provide a pallet feeder that simplifies pallet gripping and releasing operations and improves operation reliability by performing operations of a linear traveling robot in three-dimensional directions orthogonal to each other.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention forms a plurality of pallet storage areas provided in a matrix arrangement of pallet rests in one orthogonal biaxial coordinate plane, and the orthogonal biaxial By a pallet gripping arm that travels linearly in a plane parallel to the coordinate plane in two axial directions, and that is integrally moved with a moving means that is vertically movable from each coordinate position in another axial direction perpendicular to the two orthogonal axes. The pallet is supplied to the processing machine by transferring the pallet between the pallet storage area and the pallet exchange position, and transferring the pallet by the pallet exchange means between the pallet exchange position and the processing machine. This is a pallet supply device with a simple structure that is configured to perform pallet return from a pallet to a pallet exchange position.

That is, according to the present invention, in a pallet supply device having a plurality of pallet storage areas for supplying the pallet to the processing machine and receiving the pallet returned from the processing machine, the pallet supply apparatus is provided in each plane. A pallet mounting table having a plurality of matrix arrangement areas having Cartesian coordinates formed in the plurality of pallet storage areas and having a pallet exchange position provided in the vicinity of the pallet storage areas;
The pallet storage area and the pallet exchange position are provided so as to be movable in two orthogonal axes in an orthogonal coordinate plane provided in parallel with the coordinate plane of the pallet storage area and at the target coordinate position of the orthogonal coordinate plane. A moving means that is provided so as to move toward and away from another uniaxial direction perpendicular to the orthogonal two-axis directions, and a movably mounted at the tip of the moving means so that each pallet storage of the pallet table is possible. Gripping arm means capable of gripping the pallet by engaging and meshing with a gripping jig provided in a pallet housed in the area in response to movement in the orthogonal biaxial direction and the other uniaxial direction; The mounted pallet on the table of the processing machine is exchanged by transferring the supply and return of the pallet between the pallet exchange position of the pallet table and the table of the processing machine. Pallet feeding apparatus comprising a let-exchange means.

[0010]

According to the above-mentioned structure, the gripping arm means that moves integrally with the moving means includes the straight-line running in the orthogonal coordinate plane between each pallet storage area and the pallet exchange position, and another uniaxial lifting straight line. By the operation, the pallet is transferred, and the pallet changing means performs the pallet supplying and returning operation between the pallet changing position and the processing machine. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of the positional relationship between a pallet feeder and a processing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the pallet feeder and the processing machine, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of the gripping arm and the pallet alone, and the tip portion of the pallet exchanging arm that constitutes the pallet exchanging means, and FIGS. 4A and 4B show the pallet gripping action in sequence by the gripping arm. Plan view and side view showing steps,
5 (a) and 5 (b) are perspective views showing a state in which the pallet gripping arm grips the pallet and a state in which the pallet exchanging arm grips the pallet and enters the exchanging action, and FIG. 6 shows the pallet gripping arm. FIG. 7 (a) is a side view showing the sequential steps of the pallet gripping action by the gripping arm in the embodiment in which the pallet approaches the pallet storage area from below.
FIG. 7B is a perspective view showing a structure of a gripping arm and a pallet stored in a pallet storage area according to the embodiment, and FIG. 7B is a perspective view showing a state of the pallet gripped by the gripping arm.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a state in which the pallet feeding apparatus according to the present invention is provided close to the side area of the machining machine. In this example, the machining machine is an electric discharge machine. Shows. As is clear from the figure, the pallet feeder 10 is arranged in the side surface region of the adjacent processing machine 50 by installing the bottom of the pallet table 12 having a box-like shape on the floor through the legs. ing. An XY coordinate plane is defined on the upper surface of the pallet table 12, and
A large number of rail-shaped pallet seats, which will be described later, extending parallel to the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction of the Y-coordinate plane are provided, and pallet positioning seats are arranged along the rail-shaped pallet seats. As a result, a plurality of pallet storage areas 14 are formed in a matrix in the XY coordinate plane. Then, in each of these pallet storage areas 14, a pallet 30 to be described later, in which a workpiece W to be processed by the processing machine 50 is mounted, is stored and mounted.

Further, two rails, that is, the X-axis rail 1 are provided in an orthogonal arrangement in a plane parallel to the XY coordinate plane forming the pallet storage area 30 described above.
6 and a Y-axis rail 18 are provided, and these two rails 16 and 18 are supported by a column 20, and in this example, are disposed above the pallet storage area.

Here, in this embodiment, the support column 20 for supporting the X-axis rail 16 of the two rails 16 and 18 has a runner 21 at the base end, and this runner 21 is provided.
Is slidably engaged with a rail 22 provided in a fixed arrangement in parallel with the Y-axis rail 18, so that the X-axis rail 16 itself is the same as the Y-axis rail 18 in the fixed arrangement.
It is formed to be movable in the direction of the shaft rail 18. The moving body 24 is supported by the X-axis rail 16 in a suspended state, and the moving body 24 is configured to be movable on the X-axis rail 16 in the same rail direction. That is, since the X-axis rail 16 is slidable along the Y-axis rail 18 and the movable body 24 is slidable in the X-axis direction on the X-axis rail 16 as described above, It is possible to move to an arbitrary coordinate position on the XY coordinate plane above the plurality of pallet storage areas 14 arranged in a matrix, and therefore, to stop and position above each pallet storage area 14.

Further, the moving body 24 has its own lower end point 2
4a is also vertically movable in another uniaxial direction (Z-axis direction in the drawing) perpendicular to the XY coordinate plane. That is, in the present embodiment, two X axes, Y
The shaft rails 16, 18, the fixed rail 22, and the moving body 24 form a linear traveling type robot mechanism, and the pallet gripping arm 26 attached to the lower end point 24a of the moving body 24 forms an end effector. It should be noted that such a linear traveling type robot is generally commercialized as a gantry type robot or a crane robot, and the pallet gripping arm 26 is used for the XY coordinate using the linear traveling robot obtained through these sales channels. It is also possible to form a moving means for moving along the plane and in the Z-axis direction perpendicular to the XY coordinate plane.

Now, on the pallet table 12 of the pallet feeder 10, the pallet exchange position is the closest position to the XY coordinate plane forming the pallet storage area 14, in this example, the position indicated by reference numeral PC in FIG. From the pallet exchange position PC to the pallet mounting table on the processing machine 50 or the chuck device 54 of the work table 52.
Conversely, from the chuck device 54 to the pallet replacement position PC
The pallet 30 alone is transferred, and the pallet can be exchanged by supplying and returning the pallet 30. Therefore, in this example, the pallet exchange arm 60 that grips the pallet 30 from the pallet exchange position PC to the chuck device 54 of the work table 52 on the processing machine 50 and linearly transfers (lifts and extends) the pallet exchange arm 60, that is, Pallet changing means is provided. 1 and 2, the pallet changing arm 60 is a chuck device 5 of the processing machine 50.
4 is indicated by a broken line, and FIG. 2 is illustrated by a solid line in FIG. 2 in which the pallet exchange arm 60 is retracted to the rear of the pallet exchange position PC.

At the pallet exchange position PC, the processed work W mounted on the pallet 30 is removed,
It is also possible to use it as a setup position for mounting the unprocessed work W on the pallet 30, or to provide a setup position at an appropriate position close to the pallet storage area in addition to the pallet exchange position PC shown in the figure, so that the operator can set the setup position. You may make it perform a setup work.

The machining machine 50, together with the work table 52 and the chuck device 54, has a spindle head 56 installed on a column 58a standing on a base 58, and a tool, that is, electric discharge machining, is installed at the lower end of the spindle head 56. In the case of a machine, the machining electrode 56a is mounted and mounted on the chuck device 54 of the work table 52, and the work W mounted on the held pallet 30 is subjected to electric discharge machining. If the processing machine 50 is a normal machine tool,
The workpiece W on the pallet held by the chuck device 54 of the work table 52 is machined by the cutting tool attached to the tool spindle of the spindle head 56.

As can be understood from the above description, the pallet feeder 10 according to the present invention comprises the pallet storage areas 14 arranged in a high density in a matrix arrangement on the XY coordinate plane.
In addition, the pallet gripping arm 26, which can move integrally with the moving body 24, moves to a coordinate position of an arbitrary target storage area and can further perform an elevating operation at the coordinate position, so that the pallet 30 stored in the target storage area is gripped. In order to supply the pallet 30 to the processing machine 50, the pallet 30 can be temporarily moved to the pallet exchange position PC, and the pallet 30 returned from the processing machine 50 can be received at the pallet exchange position PC to perform a predetermined setup work. After the operation, it can be grasped and returned to the empty pallet storage area 14 for storage.

Next, the gripping structure and operation of the pallet 30 by the pallet gripping arm 26 of the pallet feeder 10 will be described in more detail. Now, first, referring to FIG. 3, the pallet gripping arm 26, the pallet 30, and the pallet exchange arm 60 are illustrated.

The pallet 30 has a rectangular main body structure portion 32, and has a mounting hole 34 on the upper surface thereof so that a mounting object, for example, a work W (see FIG. 1) can be mounted. A gripping jig 36 having a U-shaped cross section is attached to both side surfaces of the main body structure portion 32. This gripping jig 36 includes a pair of left and right protrusions 38 provided in the upper and lower sides, a recess 40 formed between the left and right protrusions 38, 38, and a single groove formed between the upper and lower recesses 40, 40. And a structure including a path 42.

On the other hand, the pallet gripping arm 2 mounted on the lower end point 24a of the moving body 24 of the straight traveling robot described above.
6 has a U-shaped gripping finger portion 80 at the bottom, and this gripping finger portion 80 includes left and right fingers 82, 82.
2 and 82 are complementary recesses 8 for receiving and fitting the upper left and right protrusions 38 of the above-mentioned protrusions 38 of the pallet 30.
4 are formed. Also, escape 86 between the recesses 84
Is provided.

Therefore, when the projection 38 of the pallet 30 is received in the recess 84, a stable pallet grip without slipping off is achieved. That is, in gripping the pallet, the gripping fingers 82, 82 of the gripping arm 26 are moved straight into and engaged with the groove 42 of the gripping jigs 36, 36 attached to both side surfaces of the pallet 30, and the projection 38 of the pallet 30 is engaged.
When the gripping arm 26 is moved upward at a position where the recessed portion 84 of the gripping arm 26 and the recessed portion 84 of the gripping arm 26 are vertically aligned, a protrusion 38 is formed in the recessed portion 84.
Is received like a tooth mesh, and the two are integrated, and thus the gripping arm 26 is integrated after the integration.
When is moved, the gripped pallet 30 can be conveyed.

On the other hand, the pallet exchanging arm 60 has bifurcated gripping fingers 62, 62 at the tip thereof as in the case of the gripping arm 26 described above, and a positioning plate is provided on the upper surface of the gripping fingers 62, 62. 64 and 64 are attached, respectively. The positioning plates 64, 64 are holding jigs 36 for the pallet 30,
The positioning plate 64, 6 is provided with a length that engages with the left and right recesses 40, 40 in 36.
4 is the holding jigs 36 of the pallet 30 and the recesses 40, 4 of the 36.
When it is engaged with 0, the pallet 30 can be gripped and transferred by supporting it by lifting it from below. Incidentally, FIGS. 5A and 5B show a state in which the gripping arm 26 in FIG. 3 grips the pallet 30 and a state in which the pallet exchanging arm 60 in FIG. 3 grips the pallet 30.

Now, referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, steps (1) to (5) in FIG.
Describes the sequential steps for attaching the gripping arm 26 to the lower end point 24a of the moving body 24 and integrally moving to the desired pallet storage area 14 and gripping the pallet 30 stored in the target pallet storage area 14. FIG. 2B is a plan view corresponding to the steps (1) to (5), and the pallet table 1 described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown.
The position designated by the positioning plates 72, 72 of the pallet seats 70, 70, which are arranged in a rail shape and which will be described later, extending in the X-axis direction extending on the XY coordinate plane of 2 is set as the pallet storage area 14. 4A and 4B show that the pallets 30 are arranged in a row at substantially equal intervals. In FIGS. 4A and 4B, one pallet 30 stored in a single pallet storage area 14 is grasped by an arm. The function of gripping and lifting by 26 is described. Therefore, it should be understood that the action of returning the pallet 30 gripped by the gripping arm 26 to the predetermined pallet storage area 14 can be performed by operating the gripping arm in the reverse direction of the drawing.

Now, referring to step (1), the work W is mounted on the pallet 30 stored in the pallet storage area 14, and the pallet storage is set by the positioning plates 72, 72 of the pallet seats 70, 70. Seated in Zone 14. The gripping arm 26 moves to the coordinate position of the pallet storage area 14 together with the movement of the moving body 24 (FIG. 1).
The state of moving along the Y coordinate plane and reaching is shown in step (2). The gripping arm 26 stopped in the state of step (2) is then formed on the gripping fingers 82, 82 of the arm 26 as the moving body 24 descends toward the storage area 14 (arrow Z1). By using the above-described recesses 86, 86 (see FIG. 3), the fingers 82, 82 are provided with the groove paths 40 in the holding jigs 36, 36 of the pallet 30.
Engage within 40.

From there, the gripping arm 26 is attached to the moving body 2.
4 is moved in the X-axis direction to run straight, the arm 26
The gripping fingers 82, 82 of the gripping jigs 36, 36 are
Go straight (arrow) in 40, and as a result, the fingers 82, 82
The holding jigs 36, 3 of the pallet 30 in the recesses 84, 84 of the
The protrusions 38, 38 of 6 are received and meshed, and the gripped state is completed. Such engagement and engagement state is shown in step (3). Then, the gripping arm 26 is started to rise as indicated by an arrow Z2 in accordance with the raising operation of the moving body 24 (step 4).

As a result, the pallet 30 is gripped by the gripping arm 26 via the gripping jigs 36, 36, and leaves the pallet storage area 14 of the receiving seats 70, 70 (step 5). Actually, steps (4) and (5) are continuously performed without interruption of the operation. Thus, after moving away from the pallet storage area 14 formed on the receiving seats 70, 70 of the pallet table 12, the movable body 24 and the pallet storage area 14 are moved again together.
-By moving in a plane parallel to the Y coordinate plane in two orthogonal axis directions (X axis and Y axis directions), it is possible to move to the pallet exchange position PC (see FIG. 2).

As is apparent from the above description, in the pallet supply device 10 according to the present invention, the gripping action performed by the gripping arm 26 of the pallet 30 is performed by, for example, opening and closing the gripping arm of a known articulated robot. Unlike the case where the work is gripped by the operation, the linear movement of the gripping arm 26 is utilized to perform the engagement of the pallet 30 with respect to the gripping jig 36, the engagement of the pallet 30, or the release from the meshed state. This means that the pallet 30 can be gripped and released by the orthogonal three-axis operation in the three-dimensional space of the moving means having the moving body 24 composed of the linear traveling robot. In other words, it is possible to simplify the structure and improve the reliability of the operation in that it is not necessary to additionally provide a driving means for the gripping operation.

In the above-described embodiment, the movable body 24 mounts the gripping arm 26 and linearly moves in the parallel plane above the XY coordinate plane defining the pallet storage area 14 in the high-density matrix arrangement. However, if necessary, the pallet storage area 14 side is arranged in a matrix above the moving plane of the gripping arm 26, and the gripping arm 26 approaches the target pallet storage area 14 from below to hold the pallet. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which it is performed.

FIG. 6 shows such a pallet holding arm 2
6 shows the pallet gripping action in the case of the embodiment of the approach movement system from below with respect to the pallet storage area 14 of 6 in the sequential steps. That is, in step (1) of FIG. 6, the pallet 30 stored in the pallet storage area 14 formed in the pallet seat 70 of the pallet table 12 is stored.
And the work W mounted on the pallet 30 are shown.

For this pallet 30, step (2)
Then, the gripping arm 26 reaches a position corresponding to the coordinate value of the predetermined pallet storage area 14 by the movement of the gripping arm 26 in the directions of two orthogonal axes in the XY coordinate plane, and is positioned, and the arrow Z1
It is in a state where it is about to be engaged with the pallet 30 by the upward movement in the Z-axis direction indicated by.

In step (3), the gripping arm 2
6 shows a state in which the Z-axis movement and the linear movement in the X-axis direction indicated by the arrow X achieve the engagement and engagement with the holding jig 36 of the pallet 30. That is, the gripping of the pallet 30 by the gripping arm 26 is completed.

Next, as shown in step (4), when the gripping arm 26 moves downward as indicated by the arrow Z2, the pallet 30 and the work W that have been gripped also start descending. In the illustration of step (4), the pallet 30 is not yet separated from the storage area 14 of the receiving seat 70, that is, the state immediately before separation is shown. Then, as shown in step (5), the pallet 30 is eventually grasped by the grasping arm 26 and the pallet storage area 14 of the receiving seat 70 is grasped.
Get away from. Actually, steps (4) and (5) are continuously performed without interruption of the operation.

FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b) show an example of the structure of the gripping arm 26 in the above-mentioned downward approaching type embodiment, and the pallet 30 side has exactly the same structure as the above-mentioned embodiment. Positioning recesses 180, 180 for the seats 70, 70
Holding jigs 36, 36 in the pallet storage area 14 set by
Have a seat.

Now, the gripping arm 26 has two gripping fingers 1.
It is the same as the gripping arm 26 of the previous embodiment in that it has 82 and 182, but the positioning for inserting the pallet 30 into the recesses 40 and 40 of the gripping jigs 36 and 36 from below. It has plates 184, 184. By moving the gripping arm 26 having such positioning plates 184, 184 as shown by the arrow, the positioning plate 1
84, 184 are engaged and the pallet 30 is held by the jig 3.
As shown in FIG. 7B via 6 and 36, it is possible to stably support the moving process. Therefore, for example, the pallet 30 can be transferred to the pallet exchange position PC or from the pallet exchange position PC to the desired pallet storage area 14.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the work W is mounted and placed on the upper surface of the pallet 30, but the lower surface of the pallet 30 is used as a mounting surface for this kind of work. , And an electrode for electric discharge machining is mounted on the mounting surface, and a mechanism that can be held by the main shaft of the electric discharge machine is formed on the upper surface, and the tool spindle 56 of the machining machine 50 including the electric discharge machine shown in FIG. 1 is formed. It is also possible to mount the electrode together with the pallet on the lower end of the pallet by an automatic supply method.

[0038]

As can be understood from the above description of the various embodiments, according to the pallet feeder of the present invention, a plurality of pallet storage areas provided in a high density in a matrix arrangement on the pallet stand are provided at a right angle. It is formed in a biaxial coordinate plane and travels linearly in a biaxial direction in a plane parallel to this orthogonal biaxial coordinate plane to move to a desired coordinate position, and at the same time it is perpendicular to the orthogonal biaxial from each coordinate position. Linear movement of the pallet gripping arm that moves integrally with the other moving means that can move up and down in one axis direction engages and meshes with the pallet to grip it, thereby transferring the pallet between the pallet storage area and the pallet exchange position. In addition, by transferring the pallet by the pallet exchange means between the pallet exchange position and the processing machine, the pallet is supplied to the processing machine and the pallet is returned from the processing machine to the pallet exchange position. Since a pallet feeder with a simple structure is configured, a large number of pallets can be stored in a storage space as small as possible, and the movement of the gripping arm remains unchanged when transferring and exchanging pallets with the processing machine. It has become possible to supply pallets easily and with high reliability by carrying out pallet gripping.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a positional relationship between a pallet supply device and a processing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the pallet feeder and the processing machine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a structure of a gripping arm, a pallet unit, and a tip portion of a pallet exchanging arm which constitutes a pallet exchanging means.

4 (a) and 4 (b) are a plan view and a side view showing a sequential step of a pallet holding operation by a holding arm.

5 (a) and 5 (b) are perspective views respectively showing a state in which a pallet gripping arm grips a pallet and a state in which a pallet exchanging arm grips a pallet and enters a replacement operation.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the sequential steps of the pallet gripping action by the gripping arm in the embodiment in which the pallet gripping arm approaches the pallet storage area from below.

7A and 7B are perspective views showing a structure of a gripping arm and a pallet stored in a pallet storage area and a state of the pallet gripped by the gripping arm according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Pallet supply device 12 ... Pallet table 14 ... Pallet storage area 16 ... X-axis rail 18 ... Y-axis rail 20 ... Struts 22 ... Fixed rail 24 ... Moving body 26 ... Gripping arm 30 ... Pallet 36 ... Gripping jig 50 ... Processing Machine 52 ... Work table 54 ... Chuck device 56 ... Spindle head 60 ... Pallet exchange arm 70 ... Catch W ... Work

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pallet supply device having a plurality of pallet storage areas for supplying a pallet to a processing machine and receiving a pallet returned from the processing machine, wherein a plurality of pallet storage areas each having an orthogonal coordinate in one plane are provided. A pallet table having a matrix arrangement area formed and provided in the plurality of pallet storage areas and a pallet exchange position provided in the vicinity of the pallet storage area; and a pallet storage area provided in parallel with the coordinate plane of the pallet storage area. Another axis that is provided so as to be movable in the orthogonal biaxial directions in the orthogonal coordinate plane and is perpendicular to the orthogonal biaxial directions with respect to the pallet storage area and the pallet exchange position at the target coordinate position of the orthogonal coordinate plane. And a moving means provided so as to move toward and away from each other in a direction, and a movable means is attached to the tip of the moving means so that each pallet of the pallet table can be stored. Gripping arm means capable of gripping the pallet by engaging and meshing with a gripping jig provided on a pallet housed in the storage area in accordance with the movement in the orthogonal biaxial direction and the other uniaxial direction, A pallet exchanging means for exchanging the pallet mounted on the processing machine by transferring the pallet supply and return between the pallet exchange position of the pallet table and the processing machine. Pallet feeder.